Can opener



June 28, 1932. H GUSTAFSON 1,865,413

CAN OPENER Filed Dec. 9, 1929 Patented June 28, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CAN OPENER Application filed December 9, 1929.

My invention relates to a new and useful improvement in can openers.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a can opener of such simpleconstruction and of such easily made parts as to place the cost of production at a minimum, the opener being, at the same time, so constructed as to be readily adjustable for use on cans of any size or shape.

A further object of my invention is to provide a can opener adapted to adjustment without the necessity of manipulating set screws or nuts, or troubling with any other means 7 of adjustment which demands an undue amount of time and effort to bring about the proper relationship between the cutting knife and the pivot point.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a can opener adapted to permit of ready replacement of the'cutting blade which is the only part subjected to any great wear; with the result that the life of-the instrument, itself, is thereby extended indefinitely.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists mainly, in its preferred form, in providing a body bar or member of a relatively flat metal with a handle at one end thereof and a pivot point formed at the opposite end thereof. The body bar is slotted longitudinally between the ends thereof and a cutting knife is yieldingly held by a holder slidably mounted on the slotted portion of the body member. The pivot point may be inserted at the center or at any suitable point in the top of a can and the holder carrying the cutting blade may then quickly and readily be adjusted by the thumb or fingers to the proper distance from the pivot 0 point. The device may then be rotated about the pivot point, thereby effecting the cutting and removal of the top of the can.

Further objects and advantages will bccome apparent from the following description and claims, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the device;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the device;

Serial No. 412,593.

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view along the line 33 of Figure 1;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the holder;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the cutting blade;

Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view of the holder attached to the body member; and

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a modified form of the holder. I

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, the preferred form of construction comprises a fiat metal body bar or member 1 having at the end 2 thereof, a handle 3 preferably formed of wood with a ferrule 4 joining the handle with the body member. The opposite end of the member 1 is formed in a point 5, so constructed that it may be inserted through and turned under the cover of the can to be opened, substantially as shown. Through the center portion of the body bar there is a longitudinal slot 6 and mounted and secured to said body bar is a knife holder 7 which is slidable longitudinally along said slotted portion. Holder 7 is secured by rivets or pins 8, or by any other suitable means, which extend from the opposite sides of said holder through said slot 6. Said pins thus serve to reenforce the holder .1 and to secure the same to the member 1. In cooperation with the ends of slot 6, they serve to limit sliding movement of the holder.

The holder is preferably a metal stamping, best seen in Fig. 4. It is generally of substantially U-shape with its two sides 9 and 10 spaced apart so as to adapt said holder slidably to embrace the member 1, the latter snugly fitting in space 11. The center portion of side 10 is formed into a socket 12, the sides 13 and 14 of which are normally bowed inwardly as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6. This may be accomplished in several ways, but preferably by means of punching circular depressions in the opposite sides of the socket, as shown at 14c. Or, if desired, the sides 13 and 14 may be formed with elongated depressions extending vertically from the lower end of the socket, as shown in Fig. 7. The knife is rectangular in cross section and when inserted in socket 12 is yieldingly held by the pressure upon it of sides 13 and 14 of said socket, since the sides are so positioned that when the blade is inserted in said socket, the bowed or depressed portions thereof, are forced back and out of their normal position, with the result that while the blade remains in the socket, a definite and yielding pressure is brought to bear upon it by the sides, thus holding it in position. The upper end of the knife is beveled or tapered somewhat as at 16 to facilitate its insertion into the socket. The cutting edges of knife 15 are formed on the sides of the lower portion of the blade which projects below the socket so as to be adapted to engage with the top of the can operated upon. The upper end of the knife is held firmly against the solid end 17 of said socket and is thereby enabled to withstand any amount of pressure brought to bear upon said knife when the same is being used for cutting. It is clear, however, that in the event the knife should become worn or broken it may readily be removed from said socket 12 by exerting a pressure or pull upon it suflicient to overcome the frictional engagement therewith of the bowed sides 13 or 14 of the socket. A new blade may thereupon be placed in the socket and the can opener becomes, thereby, as good as new. Or, if desired, the old blade may be sharpened and reinserted.

From the foregoing, it will be observed that in the operation of the device it is necessary simply to insert the point 5 into the center of the top of the can to be opened, to move the holder 7 carrying the cutting knife 15, along the body member 1 until the knife is brought to the desired position on the top of the can, whereupon a downward pressure will cause the knife to break through the top of the can; then by rotating the device around the pivot in a plane parallel to that of the top of the can the knife will easily and completely cut through and remove the top of the can.

While I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that the details of construction are capable of wide modification and variation while still maintaining the fundamental principles thereof. Hence, I reserve all such modifications, variations and mechanical equivalents as fall within the scope and pur view of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A device of the class described. comprising a body member, a handle and a pivot member on said body member, a knife adjustably associated with said body member. a holder for said knife slidably mounted on said body member, and a socket in said holder, said socket having yieldable sides adapted on insertion of the knife to be forced from normal position thereby yieldingly and removably to hold the knife in place, the

sides of said socket alone acting to maintain said blade in said socket.

2. In a can opener comprising a body member having a handle and a pivot member,

a knife adjustably associated with said body member, a holder for said knife slidably mounted on said body member, said holder having yieldable depressed portions formed in the sides thereof for yieldingly and removably holding said knife.

3. In a can opener comprising a, body member having a handle and a pivot memher, aknife adjustably associated with said body member, a holder for said lmife slidably mounted on said body member, said holder having yieldable sides bowed inwardly for yieldingly and removably holding said knife.

4. In a can opener comprising a. body member having a handle and a pivot member, a knife adjustably associated with said body member, a holder for said knife slidably mounted on said body member, said holder having sides formed with yieldable elongated depressions extending transversely of said body member for yieldingly and removably holding said knife.

5. In a can opener comprising a body member having a handle and a pivot thereon and an elongated slot therein, a knife having the opposite sides thereof substantially flat adjustably associated with said body memher, a holder for said knife slidably mounted on the slotted portion of said body member and engaging said slot, a socket in said holder for said knife, said socket having yieldable depressed portions formed in the sides thereof for yieldingly and removably holding said knife. I

6. In a can opener comprising a body member having a handle and a pivot, a knife adjustably associated with said body member, and a holder for said knife slidably mounted on said body member, said holder having the sides thereof formed with inwardly extending yieldable portions for yieldingly and removably holding said knife.

7. A device of the class described comprising a body member, a handle and a pivot on said body member, a knife adjustably associated with said body member, a socket member for said knife slidably mounted on said body member, said socket member having the sides thereof formed of a single thickness of material and having one of said sides yieldable whereby on insertion of the knife said yieldable side is forced from normal position and holds the knife yieldingly and removably in place, the sides of said socket alone acting to maintain said knife in said socket.

8. A device of the class described comprising a body'member, a handle and a pivot on said body member, a knife adjustably associated with said body member, an integrally formed socket member for said knife slidably mounted on said handle member, said socket having a yieldable side adapted on insertion of the knife to be forced from normal position to hold the knife yieldingly and removably in place, the sides of said socket alone acting to maintain said knife in said socket.

9. A device of the class described comprising a body member, a handle and a pivot on said body member, a knife having the opposite surfaces thereof substantially flat adjustably associated with said body member, an integrally formed socket member for said knife slidably mounted on said handle member, said socket having a yieldable side adapted on insertion of the knife to be forced from normal position to hold the knife yieldingly and removably in place, the sides of said socket alone acting to maintain said knife in said socket.

10. A device of the class described comprising a body member having an elongated slot, a handle and a pivot on said body member, a knife adjustably associated with said body member, an integrally formed socket member for said knife slidably mounted on the slotted portion of said body member and engaging said slot, said socket having a yield able side adapted on insertion of the knife to be forced from normal position to hold the knife yieldingly and removably in place, the sides of said socket alone acting to maintain said knife in said socket.

11. In a can opener comprising a body member having a handle and a pivot, a knife having the opposite sides thereof substantially fiat adjustably associated with said body member, and a holder for said knife slidably mounted on said body member, said holder having the sides thereof formed with inwardly extending yieldable portions for holding said knife yieldingly and removably in place.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

DAVID H. GUSTAFSON. 

